FIG. 1 shows a computer network 100. The network 100 includes nodes 101-109 that send and receive data over interconnecting communications media 131-139. The nodes include computer work stations 101-105, a bridge 109 and switches or routers 106-108. Communications media 131-139 can include twisted-pair wire, coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, radio, infrared and microwave data links, and other data interconnections. The data connections 131-139 may be xe2x80x98point-to-pointxe2x80x99 connections or shared media local area network connections.
Business and individual users may rely on nodes in a computer network for data exchange, information storage, and other information services. As user""s reliance on a computer network increases, so too do reliability demands. To help meet user reliability demands, sub-components of a network may be monitored to detect alarm conditions such as actual or predicted equipment failure and/or degraded equipment operation. When an alarm condition is detected, efficient reporting of the alarm condition is needed so that automatic or manual problem correction procedures can be initiated. For example, when an alarm condition is reported, a technician may be dispatched to correct the problem or an automated algorithm may be executed to reconfigure network equipment so as to correct or minimize the impact of the detected problem condition.
Network nodes can report alarm conditions to a central operations, administration, maintenance, and provisioning (OAMP) work station over a direct dial-up connection to that work station. FIG. 2 shows a network having nodes 201-204 that communicate with an OAMP work station 210 using direct dial-up data links 205-208. The dial-up data links 205-208 may be received at the work station 210 using individual modems 211-214. The modems 211 can exchange modulated data over voice-grade telephone connections through a plain old telephone service (POTS) phone network 220 to modem circuitry in the nodes 201-204. The nodes 201-204 may also communicate with other nodes using network communications links 231-235. The network links may be Internet protocol (IP)-based links allowing for the exchange of packets of data over a wide-area TCP/IP network.
Node 201-204 can perform self-monitoring to detect alarm conditions. When an alarm condition is detected, the nodes 201-204 can respond by dialing a phone number to establish a dial-up connection with the OAMP work station 210 through the phone network 220. OAMP data identifying the alarm condition may then be sent from the node 201-204 to the work station 210.
In the network 200, each node 201-204 relies on a separate dial-up phone connection 205-208 to exchange OAMP data with the work station 210. The use of numerous phone lines 205-208 for OAMP data exchange may be an additional sources or network problems and may add to the cost of operating the data network 200.
Network nodes also may use the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) to exchange OAMP data over network links that can be shared by data traffic between nodes. For example, referring to FIG. 2, the SNMP protocol can be used to exchange OAMP data over network links 231-235 using the user datagram protocol (UDP). UDP is an Internet data transport protocol for the exchange of datagrams that does not acknowledge or guarantee delivery. Since UDP does not acknowledge or guarantee delivery, lost data sent using the UDP protocol may not be detected.
The present inventors recognize that methods of transferring OAMP data, such as the use of dedicated dial-up phone lines and the transfer of SNMP data over a UDP/IP connection, may not be adequate for all network architectures. Consequently, alternative means of exchanging OAMP data are provided.
In general, in one aspect, the invention features a method of reporting device status data. The method includes detecting an alarm condition at a network device and sending a mail message to a recipient device to report the alarm condition.
Implementations may include one or more of the following features. Sending a mail message may include formatting a mail message that includes data to report the alarm condition and a recipient mail address. The recipient device may be a simple mail transfer protocol (SMTP) server. Sending the mail message to the recipient may include routing the mail message through an intermediate mail server to the recipient. Detecting an alarm condition may include monitoring a data communications link to detect a communication error and/or detecting an operating condition outside an operating threshold. Data associated with the detecting alarm condition may be stored and stored data may be aggregated before it is sent. Sending the mail message to report the alarm condition may include sending aggregated alarm data.
In general, in another aspect, the invention features a network device. The device includes a network interface, monitoring circuitry, and a processor. The network interface is operative to couple the network device to a communications link and to exchange mail message data over the communications link. The monitoring circuitry is configured to monitor an operating state of the network device and to detect an alarm condition. The processor is operatively coupled to the network interface, the monitoring circuitry, and to a memory. The memory includes executable instructions for causing the processor to send a mail message to report a detected alarm condition when the monitoring circuitry detects the alarm condition.
Implementations may include one or more of the following features. The memory may also include instructions for causing the processor to transmit the mail message using the simple mail transfer protocol and/or instructions for causing the processor to form the mail message. The monitoring circuitry may include network interface circuitry to detect the operating state of a communications link.
The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Implementations may provide advantages such as improved reliability in the reporting of network device operating errors, status information, or other device operating information. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.